Friends and Enemies of OPIOIDS
Considering the rate of abuse and misuse of opioids, I wish to ask if the discovery of opioids was a blessing to the world or a curse?
OPIOIDS are chemical agents derived from opium puppy; They act on the opioid receptors and produce morphine-like effects. They are classified as either semi-synthetic or synthetic in nature. They include morphine, tramadol, codeine, methadone, pentazocine, loperamide and the less popular such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, pethidine etc.
Opioids are mostly available as oral and parenteral preparations.
Opioids are very effective for a host of medical conditions for which the most important is their use for PAIN
Treatment : they are used for the treatment of acute pain such as post surgical pain or for the treatment of chronic non cancer and cancer pain.
They provide immediate relief for mild to severe pain, and are usually reserved as second line therapy.
Opioids are diverse in nature as certain types of Opioids are used in the treatment of Cough (e.g hydrocodone and codeine as well as opioid analogue such as dextromethorphan) as well as treatment of diarrhoea (loperamide, diphenoxylate) and shortness of breath.
Even as they present benefits, we are pushed to tag their occurrence as CURSE and not blessing?
ADDICTION; DEPENDENCE; TOLERANCE; WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS; RELAPSE
Opioids are amongst psychoactive agents with high addictive tendencies; with heroin an opioid having the highest addiction rating of 3.0 (although other Opioids are less addictive compared to heroin).
The continuous use of these drugs leads to cases of physical and psychological dependence: where the individual finds it difficult to cope without the drug.
Due to tolerance resulting from their persistent use, the individual tends to increase the dose consumed in order to experience the prior euphoric feeling ,thus having to do everything possible to get such quantities (armed robbery, pilfering).
Chronic use of these agents gives way to system-drug synchronization such that an attempt to stop-use would present the following withdrawal symptoms: severe dysphoria, craving, irritability, sweating, nausea, rhinorrhea, tremor, vomiting and myalgia. Such untoward effects which are mostly unbearable discourage quitting and hence, relapse ensues.
A number of arthritic patients become addicted to oral tramadol as well as codeine or other opioid preparations,
girls addicted to opioids after use for painful menstruation,
sickle cell patients become addicted to parenteral opioids after they were used to treat some of their painful episodes,
young boys addicted to cough preparations containing Opioids such as codeine or dihydrocodeine.
Editor's note:
The use of opioids as well as "drugs" can only be a blessing to humanity if they are used as prescribed and advised by our health professionals and not as self-prescribed.
Drugs are primarily defined as poisons, but become medicines only when they are presented by the right persons.
To avert misfortunes that follow the use of opioids, always consult your doctor or pharmacist for the best advice on the use of drugs.
Author: Justice Enoma
Editor: Chuka Amukamara
Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Benin
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